Criteria for Use of the Term “HALAL”

Lawful Food
The term halal may be used for foods which are considered lawful. Under the Islamic Law, all sources of food are lawful except the following sources, including their products and derivatives which are considered unlawful:

Food of animal origin

• Pigs and boars.
• Dogs, snakes and monkeys.
• Carnivorous animals with claws and fangs such as lions, tigers, bears and other similar animals.
• Birds of prey with claws such as eagles, vultures, and other similar birds.
• Pests such as rats, centipedes, scorpions and other similar animals.
• Animals forbidden to be killed in Islam i.e., ants, bees and woodpecker birds.
• Animals which are considered repulsive generally like lice, flies, maggots and other similar animals.
• Animals that live both on land and in water such as frogs, crocodiles and other similar animals.
• Mules and domestic donkeys.
• All poisonous and hazardous aquatic animals.
• Any other animals not slaughtered according to Islamic Law.
• Blood.

Food of plant origin

Intoxicating and hazardous plants except where the toxin or hazard can be eliminated during processing.

Drink

• Alcoholic drinks.
• All forms of intoxicating and hazardous drinks.

Food additives

• All food additives derived from Codex CAC/GL 24

Slaughtering
All lawful land animals should be slaughtered in compliance with the rules laid down in the Codex Recommended Code of Hygienic Practice for Fresh Meat (i.e. CAC/RCP 11, Rev.1-1993) and the following requirements:

• The person should be a Muslim who is mentally sound and knowledgeable of the Islamic slaughtering procedures.
• The animal to be slaughtered should be lawful according to Islamic law.
• The animal to be slaughtered should be alive or deemed to be alive at the time of slaughtering.
• The phrase “Bismillah” (In the Name of Allah) should be invoked immediately before the slaughter of each animal.
• The slaughtering device should be sharp and should not be lifted off the animal during the slaughter act.
• The slaughter act should sever the trachea, oesophagus and main arteries and veins of the neck region.

Preparation, Processing, Packaging, Transportation And Storage

All food should be prepared, processed, packaged, transported and stored in such a manner that it complies with Sections above and the Codex General Principles on Food Hygiene and other relevant Codex Standards.

Additional Labeling Requirements

• When a claim is made that a food is halal, the word halal or equivalent terms should appear on the label.
• In accordance with the Draft Revision of the Codex General Guidelines on Claims, claims on halal should not be used in ways which could give rise to doubt about the safety of similar food or claims that halal foods are nutritionally superior to, or healthier than, other foods.